The reason I changed my mind about the relative merits of the two companies was the many flights I made between Jakarta and a UK destination via Dubai or Abu Dhabi, flying Emirates or Etihad.
Invariably, without fail the Jakarta leg uses B 737’s and then the UAE-UK leg uses more modern Airbuses. This is obviously because the airlines feel Indonesians don’t need the same standard of comfort that Europeans require. It is however quite an eye-opener, the Boeings seem very basic, and frankly a bit shabby by comparison with the Airbuses. The seats are cramped and old-fashioned on the Boeings, even in Business Class.
Now admittedly I might not be comparing like with like, the Boeing is a much older design but still it has been quite an eye-opener for someone who always assumed the inherent supremacy of Boeings.
I also fly a lot due to the nature of my work, and totally agree with your post. There seems to be some sort of ‘hierarchy.’